Air distributing device for service station pump blocks



y I957 J. HARDESTY 2,798,421

AIR DISTRIBUTING DEVICE FOR SERVICE STATION PUMP BLOCKS Fild June 8, 1954 2 Sheelis-Sheet 1 NHUHHHIIIHNI IIHHHNIHIHIII INVENTOR JEAN A. HARDESTV BY C2 6.41 I

TTOE "/1 y 1957 J. A. HARDESTY 2,798,421

AIR DISTRIBUTING DEVICE FOR SERVICE STATION PUMP BLOCKS Filed June 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JEAN A.HARDESTV B 2. AZwM/ I United States Patent 2,798,421 AIR DISTRIBUTING DEYIGE FOR SERVICE STATION: PUMP BLOCKS Jean A. Hardesty, South Pasadena, Calif., assi'gnor, by

mesne assignments, to California Research Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application June 8, 1954,-SerialNo-. 435,107 Claims. (Cl; 98-2) The present invention relates to air distributing devices, more particularly to air distributing devices for. heating or cooling the area adjacent the pump blocks of a gasoline service station, and has for an object the provision of a system for distributing air under pressure to'the area adjacent a gasoline service stationpump block for cooling or heating the area occupied by customers and attendants while an automobile is being serviced.

In certain areas of the United States where very extreme temperatures are encountered, such as desert areas in the summer or the northern plain States in the winter, the outdoor servicing of automobiles with gasoline, oil, and the like presents unpleasant working conditions for the attendants and equally unpleasant atmospheric conditions for the occupants and customers whose vehicles are being serviced. Where high temperature conditions exist in the summer, it is especially desirable to make the area directly adjacent the service station pump block, where most cars are serviced, as pleasant for the occupants of the car as possible. Likewise, I have found that if the service area is more comfortable than the outlying areas, the alertness of the attendant to the opportunities for sales and service is greatly enhanced.

In accordance with the present invention, an air distributing system is provided for effectively cooling, or heating if desired, the area directly adjacent to the pump block of a service station by an elongated air distributing duct of generally trapezoidal cross-section which extends along the length of the service area. Air distributing outlet grills are positioned along the downwardly and outwardly inclined faces forming the trapezoidal duct to permit distribution of the thermally-conditioned air to the service area without interference with the servicing activities or aggravation of the customer by blowing a blast of air directly on the vehicle or occupant. In a preferred embodiment, the elongated trapezoidal duct is arranged to be supported by the columnar supports for an overhanging canopy which forms a part of the service station.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form an integral part of the present specification.

Fig. 1 is an end elevation view of a service station canopy and pump block arrangement, to which the present invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view, partially in section, illustrating the construction of the air distributing device constructed in accordance with the invention as applied to the service station shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the elongated trapezoidal duct taken in the direction of arrows 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the heat exchange or heat transfer device for heating or cooling, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, which is particularly useful in illustrating the direction of air flow through the distributing system of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, an air distributing device 10 constructed in accordance with the, present invention is particularly illustrated as being used for cooling the area adjacent a pump block 11, which. is positioned under a gasoline service station: canopy 12. As shown, canopy 12 of such a typical. service station is normally supported at its outer end by a pair of columnar supports,

such as pipes 13. Between the supports, the gasoline pumps and other servicing equipment are normally longitudinally spaced on pump block 11. a

Under adverse weather conditions, such as very high temperatures, in accordance. with the present invention, the area immediately adjacent both sides of pump block 11 is made more comfortable for the occupants and attendants by an air distributing system comprising an overhead, elongated duct 15 which is formed with a crosssection which is generally trapezoidal. As specifically illustrated in Fig. 1, themajor base 16 of the trapezoid forming duct 15 is positioned adjacent canopy 12, while the minor base 17 is positioned below, so that the oppositely-inclined faces 18 and 19, forming the sides of duct 15, are directed downwardly and outwardly. As specifically shown in Figs. 2 and 3,. elongated duct 15 extends between and is desirably supported by columnar supports 13 through an appropriate clamping framework, such as that indicated as 21.

Inclined faces 18 and 19 of elongated duct 15 have formed therein at spaced locations, such as the opposite ends thereof, outlet ducts or grills 25 which direct air from duct 15 to the areas immediately adjacent pump block 11. As indicated in Figs. 1 to 3, cooling device 23 is desirably positioned directly above pump block 11 and canopy 12 so that the air cooled therein may be directed to elongated trapezoidal distributing duct 15, near substantially its center. Thus, air for distribution is introduced transversely to duct 15 by duct 22 which is connected thereto through transition section 29 and deflecting section 27. As more particularly shown in Fig. 4, air may be drawn into the distributing device through cooler 23, which is illustrated as being of the evaporative-cooler type, wherein Water is forced by pump 30 to the top of the cooler and then permitted to flow downwardly through a water-absorbent medium 31. Air is drawn by fan or compressor 33 through this absorbing medium and is simultaneously cooled therein as indicated by the dotted lines and arrowheads. After air is pumped by compressor 33 through the heat exchange walls or evaporative cooling medium 31, it is forced downwardly through duct section 22, transition section 29, deflecting section 27, and thus outwardly to the ends of distributing duct 15 where the outlet grills 25 may direct the cooled air to the area adjacent pump block 11.

Thus, it will be seen that a more pleasant atmosphere is provided by the air distributing system of the present invention for both attendants and the customers or passengers in the automobiles or vehicles parked adjacent the pump block for service.

While various modifications and changes may be made in the particular arrangement of the air distributing system, all such modifications and changes which fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be included therein.

I claim:

1. An air distributing device for gasoline service station pump blocks or the like having longitudinally spaced pumps thereon, and having a canopy above said pump blocks comprising a heat transfer device mounted above the canopy of said service station, blower means for drawing air through said heat transfer device to effect heat exchange between the air and said device, duct means connected directly to said blower means passing downwardly through said service station canopy for introduc ing air from said blower into a distributing system comprising an elongated duct of trapezoidal cross-section extending beneath said canopy and along the length of said pump block, the faces of said elongated, trapezoidal duct being inclined downwardly and inwardly, and outlet means spaced along the length of said elongated duct in said angularly-inclined faces to permit air to pass outwardly and downwardly from said elongated duct into the areas directly adjacent the sides of said pump block.

2. An air distribution system in accordance with claim 1, in which said duct of trapezoidal cross-section is mounted between the upright supports for the canopy of said service station and below said canopy, and said outlets being positioned adjacent said supports and at the opposite ends of said elongated duct.

3. An air distributing system for gasoline service station pump blocks or the like comprising a heat transfer device mounted above the columnar supports for the canopy of a service station, blower means for drawing air through said heat transfer device, an elongated duct means extending between the columnar supports for said canopy, an outlet duct connecting said blower and said elongated duct, said elongated duct means being below said canopy and having a cross-sectional area of trapezoidal configuration, the major base of the trapezoid being disposed above the minor base to provide a pair of angularly-inclined faces directed downwardly and outwardly from said duct, and outlet grills spaced along the length of each of said faces to permit air from said elongated duct to pass outwardly and downwardly into the area adjacent the sides of said pump block.

4. A cooling system for gasoline service stations or the like having a canopy over an elongated pump block, comprising a cooling device mounted above said canopy, said cooling device including an evaporator surface and fan means to force air over said surface to efiect heat exchange between air and said surface, a cooled air distributing system comprising an elongated duct of trapezoidal cross-section extending under said canopy along the length of said pump block, air duct means connecting said cooling device and said distributing system, the angularly inclined surfaces of said trapezoidal duct being inclined downwardly and outwardly, and outlets spaced along the angularly disposed faces of said duct to direct cooled air outwardly and downwardly into the area adjacent the sides of said pump block.

5. Cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in 588,530 Proctor Aug. 17, 1897 1,737,661 Lewis Dec. 3, 1929 2,529,425 Sharp Nov. 7, 1950 2,547,896 Wellen Apr. 3, 1951 2,614,478 Herman Oct. 21, 1952 

